Painless Aortic Dissection: A Rare and Atypical Clinical Presentation
Published: 2022-03-23
Page: 112-115
Issue: 2022 - Volume 5 [Issue 1]
Amine Kherraf *
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
Safia Ouarrak
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
Maha Bouziane
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
Meryem Haboub
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
Ghali Bennouna
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
Leila Azzouzi
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
Rachida Habbal
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, 1, Rue des Hôpitaux, Casablanca, Morocco.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aortic dissections (AD) are uncommon, having a high mortality level. It is an extreme vascular emergency that can result in death, when not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Diagnosis of Aortic dissection (Type A) can easily be delayed or missed, due to atypical symptoms. A 62 year-old female, without any cardiovascular risk factors, presented to the Emergency Department with digestive symptomatology over fifteen days without any chest pain. Clinically, she was stable, with normal initial laboratory investigations. She consulted a cardiologist, four days later, for progressive dyspnea. A thoraco-abdominal CT was performed confirming the Stanford type A AD above the aortic valve, with a thrombosed dilation extending on 61mm. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a dilation of the thoracic aorta with type A AD, and a thrombosed false lumen. Urgent surgery was proposed but unfortunately refused by the patient and its family.
We get to learn the challenge to diagnose painless AD, through this case, especially when patient comes with atypical symptoms.
Keywords: Acute aortic dissection, atypical and painless presentation, dyspnea